BRAD
THIESSEN
Northeastern
So. | G | Aldergrove, British Columbia
Thiessen was runner-up to Maine's Teddy Purcell
in Hockey East Rookie of the Year voting last season.
Key Statistics: Thiessen
posted an 11-17-5 record with a 2.48 goals-against average,
playing in 33 of Northeastern's 36 games. His .921 save
percentage stands as the best in school history for
the Huskies.
What He Does: Thiessen
is a smart, steady goaltender who stays square to shooters
and doesn't get caught out of position. His positioning
is key to his success agains the first shot; he'll rely
more on his athleticism on rebounds. A farm boy from
British Columbia, he has a laid-back approach and doesn't
get rattled, even as he faced more than 30 shots per
game as a rookie.
The Bigger Picture: On
the surface, Thiessen may seem a strange pick for INCH's
A to Z feature if you know anyone from Northeastern's
team, it's probably him. But if Northeastern is to continue
making strides this season, he will still be at center
stage, and he has a chance to gain even greater notoriety
at both the league and national level. The departure
of John Curry, Jon Quick and Cory Schneider means the
best-goalie-in-Hockey East mantle is up for grabs, and
Thiessen is in the mix to earn that title. He could
prove to be among the best in the country as well.
Northeastern sophomore Greg Costa
on Thiessen: “At first I think he was
nervous, coming in as a freshman on a team with a senior
goaltender. But his confidence grew with his success.
He had weekend out in Michigan (an overtime loss and
his first career win), and that was a huge turning point.
Not that he wasn't good before, but that weekend really
showed what he could do.”
